TRAA Member Alert: Congressional Report Targets Towing Industry

The following is a press release from the Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA) to its members:

Once again, the trucking industry has lobbied for Congressional action in the ongoing assault on the towing industry.

The House Appropriations Committee recently released its FY26 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development and Related Agencies bill, the accompanying report for which includes the following directive to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA):

“Predatory Towing – The Committee directs FMCSA to engage with local, State, and private sector stakeholders to study current practices concerning towing and recovery regulation and fees to ensure fair and equitable treatment of roadway safety clearance opportunities for motor carriers.”

This language builds on language the American Trucking Associations (ATA) pushed last year, in line with its narrative of “predatory towing,” a characterization we believe is unfair and inaccurate when applied broadly to our profession. This year, however, the ATA has ramped up its efforts, with the report language this year directing FMCSA to address the issue rather than urging.

Last year, TRAA successfully pushed back against the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed “Junk Fee” rule, which wrongly attempted to categorize towing charges as hidden or deceptive fees. Thanks to our collective advocacy, and our work suggesting the creation of a Tow Services Transparency Task Force (TSTTF) with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety

Administration, towing was ultimately excluded from that rule.

This is not the first time ATA has pursued Report Language, and it will not be the last. However, it is clear evidence that ATA’s efforts on “predatory towing” continue, and so must our response.

TRAA Is Taking Action While appropriations report language is not legally binding, it can influence agency priorities and policy direction. That’s why TRAA is responding swiftly and strategically to ensure the industry is protected.

We are:

Organizing high-level meetings with FMCSA to directly share our perspective and offer constructive solutions;

Consulting with our lobbying team to craft an effective and balanced response;

Developing a unified message for the entirety of the Towing and Recovery Industry;

Educating Congressional offices to correct misinformation and reinforce the critical public safety role towers play nationwide; and

Exploring the development of voluntary best practices to show transparency and a good-faith commitment to professionalism across the industry.

This is a critical moment for the industry to come together and address the legitimate problems that get way too much publicity, letting a small group of bad actors represent our industry as a whole. The towing and recovery profession is made up of dedicated first responders who keep our roads safe and clear. TRAA is committed to defending that reputation and protecting the future of our members’ businesses.

We will continue to work collaboratively with Congress, federal agencies, and industry partners to ensure towing is treated fairly and accurately in federal policymaking. We’ve faced these kinds of challenges before, and we’ve won.

Thank you for your ongoing support and membership. We will keep you closely informed as this effort continues.